Scripture mistaken the ground of Protestants and common plea of all new reformers against the ancient Catholicke religion of England : many texts quite mistaken by Nouelists are lay'd open and redressed in this treatis[e] by Iohn Spenser.

That the works of the regenerate are such as can deserue heauen.

I haue fought a good fight,* 1.1 I haue finished my course, I haue kept the faith. Hence forth there is layd vp forme a crowne of righterusnesse (iustitiae, of iustice, sayth the Greeke and Latin) vvhich the Lord the righteous (iustus, the iust) Iudge shall giue me 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, reddet, shall restore vnto me, at the last day, (the greeke at that day) and not to me only, but vnto them also vvho loue his coming. By a crovvn of iustice, he meanes a true reward, or prize, got by labour, as appeares,* 1.2 knovv ye not that those vvhich runne in a race, runne all, but one receiueth the prize, so run, that yee may obteyne and euery man that striueth for the mastery, is temperate in all things: novv they doe it to obtaine a corruptible crown, but vve an incorruptible:* 1.3 for our light affliction vvhich is but for a moment, vvorketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternall vveight of glory.

If our afflictions worke a crowne of eter∣nall glory then they are a true cause of it which cannot be but by merit. Gal. 6. v. 8. For vvhat things a man shall sovv, those also shall hee reape for hee that sovveth to his flesh (latin in his flesh) from his flesh also shall reape corruption: but hee that soweth in the spirit shall reape life euerlasting. So

that life euerlasting is a proper fruit of a spi∣rituall and godly life, and so such a life, is the true cause of saluation. Reuel. 3. v. 4. Speaking of the elect. saith: They shall vvalke vv••ith me in vvhyte garments, because they are worthy. Therefore the true seruants of God, haue something in this world which makes them worthy of eternall life: and that is theyr innocent and vnspotted liues, as the Euangelist declares in the next precedent words, but thou hast some in Sardis who haue not defiled their garment. R. 3. v. 8. Behold I haue giuen thee a dore open which noman can shut, because thou hast some smal vertue, and hast kept my word, and hast not denyed my name. where the vertuous life, and good works of that per∣son, are affirmed to be the cause, why eternall happinesse was to be bestowed vppon him. Hebr. 6.9. for God is not vnrighteous, to forget your worke, and labour of loue, which yee haue shewed towards his name, in that yee haue ministred to the Saints and doe minister, and v. 12. That yee be not flothfull but foll∣owers of them, who through faith, and pa∣tience inherit the promisses. where it is said, both that it belongs to the iustice of God to remember our good workes, and that not only by faith, but by patience allso (and the same is of all other vertues) wee inherit the promises, as Abraham did, v. 13.14. Reuel. 3. v. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my pa∣tience,

I will preserue the from the hower of tempta∣tion which is to come through the whole world to tempt the inhabitants vppon earth. where the de∣sert of good workes is most clearly deliuered.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2. Tim. 4▪ v. 7.8.
• * 1.2

  1. Cor. 9. v. 24.25.
• * 1.3

  2. Cor. 4. v. 17.